Death to Chivalry (Night World Soulmate)
by thatcraftykid
Summary: My recently unearthed first fan fiction ever! It's like a case study for everything pop culture and pop psychology in the year 2000. Hannah and Thierry are together forever true love waits, except for one tiny problem...Hannah wants to be a vampire.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: **__My recently unearthed first fan fiction ever! It's like a case study for everything pop culture and pop psychology in the year 2000. Oh, eighth grade. Heart you._

* * *

**Death To Chivalry**

1

"Penny for your thoughts?" Hannah asked her soulmate gently as she came through the huge, wooden doors of the library.

"Huh?" he said, snapping out of his trance. Hannah came over to the plush, red couch on which Thierry was brooding and sat down beside him.

"Whatcha thinkin'?"

"Oh, I was just wondering how Poppy's vision will effect our search for the fourth Wild Power." He heaved a long sigh and rested his head against the back of the couch, staring up at the mahogany ceiling.

"Well, tell me about her vision and I'll help you figure it out," Hannah offered helpfully.

Pulling her into an embrace so her head rested on his shoulder and his cheek on her hair, he started explaining. "In Poppy's vision she saw a small group of the most powerful Circle Midnight witches doing a forbidden spell in a large, sacred building. All she could get from it was that it was extremely powerful and extremely dangerous and the only thing she has to go on is a phrase or two of the chanting. Thea asked Blaise to look through some of Grandma Harman's old records. It's probably going to take a while to find a match, and until then we're stuck." He heaved another long sigh.

"Well, if it's Circle Midnight obviously it means the Night World is finally going to retaliate. The spells got to be big or else they wouldn't risk it, not with more and more Night People joining Circle Daybreak every day," she reasoned.

"It's about time they did something. I was beginning to wonder if the Night World had found the fourth Wild Power after all. I mean, it's almost been a full year since the third Wild Power was found."

"They're either desperate or it's a practically full-proof spell. Either way, it means trouble for Circle Daybreak."

"You got that right. At least we know the Wild Powers we do have are safe. They're not happy, but they're safe. There's no way the Night World could find out where they are. Only the most trusted of the Daybreakers are guarding them and there's no way anyone could talk them out of giving up the locations. If I hadn't picked the places out myself I probably wouldn't even know."

Hannah gave a little laugh then decided to move on to more pleasant things. "Have you started telling everyone about the Christmas party?" she inquired.

Thierry didn't even blink at the change of subject. "Yep. So far I've called Ash and James and Thea and Thea called Gillian. Everyone's suppose to start coming the twenty-first."

Hannah frowned. "That doesn't leave much time to get ready. It's already the eleventh. School gets out the twentieth and I don't have to go back to school until the twelfth, but it still only leaves four days to get all the decorations up."

"You have no faith in me. I've been throwing parties for centuries. I once threw one for Marie Antwonett. Do you know how hard it was to please that woman?"

"You so did not throw a party for royalty, you're lying," Hannah accused, only half-serious. Thierry rarely ever lied.

"I don't know what you're talkin' about, I am royalty," he said, faking indignantly.

Hannah looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Anyway, my mom is coming up tomorrow, remember?"

"How could I forget? Whenever I called you at school that's all you would talk about," Thierry replied, mimicking her expression.

"I have to make sure you're going to be on you best behavior. No undead jokes, got it?" Hannah waved a finger in his face.

"Undead jokes? C'mon. I've entertained the President, I think I can charm your mom." He snatched her finger from the air and kissed it. "Don't wave that thing around, you could poke someone's eye out."

She pulled it back and laughed. "I'm the dangerous one? Yeah, right Vampire Boy."

"You are too dangerous, Miss Kick Boxer." In the last nineteen months Hannah had mastered the art of Muy Thia and other such skills and could now beat even Rashel in one on one combat. Past lives as warriors helped too. "You were Xena in another life."

"Was not. I think your getting me confused with Rashel."

"No, she was Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

"Oh, that's right." Hannah said seriously.

They sat in silence for a moment and then they burst out laughing, a thing that was getting to be more of a regular occurrence in the Descouedres mansion now that Hannah was back in town.

"I think that qualifies as our stupidest conversation of the past," Hannah glanced at her watch. "hour."

"It's been that long? We're loosing our edge."

She turned so she was facing him. "I have another question for you."

"Is it serious?"

She pretended to ponder that question. "No, not really," she confessed.

"Okay, shoot."

"What is with you and Xena? Got a thing for black-haired, blue-eyed, Warrior Princesses?" she quipped.

"Nah," he smiled, fingering Hannah's soft blonde hair, "I like blondes better." He lifted her chin, "And I find myself completely infatuated with gray-eyed Old Souls, Lady Hannah of Circle Daybreak." He leaned in for a kiss.

"Excuse me Lord Thierry," a hesitant voice called from the doorway, efficiently stopping their kiss.

~ I'm going to kill Nilsson. Then I'm going to fire him. ~ Thierry informed his soulmate cheerfully, using the telepathic link all soulmates have.

~ Now Thierry, you are an Elder. You have to keep your responsibilities, even if I'm here. ~ Hannah chided. "Go," She ordered aloud, patting him on the knee and standing. "Goodnight Nilsson." She smiled fondly at the made vampire. He had taken on a noticeably larger and more personal roll in the dealings of Circle Daybreak in the past year and he and Thierry had become good friends. But he still couldn't seem to stop himself from addressing Thierry formally when he was on the job.

"Goodnight La – " He stopped at Hannah's disapproving look. She was an eighteen-year-old sophomore in college, not some medieval princess-type. "Goodnight Hannah," he amended. She smiled again and left Nilsson and Thierry to talk.

Walking up the winding stairway of Thierry's Las Vegas estate, she headed towards her room. Her room was the second largest in the house and had an adjoining door to the first largest –Thierry's room, a balcony, and a private bathroom. She stayed here when she visited Thierry from college in Utah State. She usually visited him on the weekends twice a month. The rest of the time she visited Chess at her dorm in UCLA or stayed with her mom. This weekend, however, her mom was finally going to meet Thierry face-to-face.

Her mom didn't know much about Thierry. All she knew was that Thierry was her boyfriend, he lived in Las Vegas and they met a little over a year ago. Hannah hadn't told her mom about the Night World, just Chess, who had dragged it out of her.

And did Hannah plan on telling her mom about the Night World? Hell no.

She could hear herself now, "Mom, it's so great to see you! Yeah I've missed you too. Um...there's something I have to tell you. Remember last year? When I had to go to therapy because of my weird dreams? Yeah, well it wasn't just dreams. I had been getting premonitions of the oncoming apocalypse, which is set to happen on 12:01 in the year 2000, actually. I'm trying to help but we need to find the four Wild Powers, who are the only people in the world with enough power to stand face the oncoming darkness.

"Wait, I'm getting off subject. So yeah, anyway, I had also been writing myself notes warning myself about Thierry. My subconscious was afraid of him and it had good reason to. See, Thierry is the first ever made vampire. He was alive in the cave-man days. Go figure." (Pause for hysterical yelling and denial and whispered question.)

"Yeah, like in Buffy. Well, only way better looking when in vamp mode and he can go out in the sun, etc. Oh and he has a soul. So, like, then I was all like, sweet, this guy is a major hottie and he's my soulmate. But then when I was kissing him on the front porch –" (Another break for lecture about kissing strange men then back to story.)

"Anyway, during that I saw him killing me in a past life. Yeah, I've had a bunch of them. I'm an Old Soul." (General screaming about dating ten-thousand-year-old murders.) "But see, it wasn't him. It was the first Lamia vampire, the kind that can have kids and grow old, who pretended to be Thierry and killed me so that I would hate him forever and so she could go out with him. But Thierry hated her because she was evil and he spent forever searching for me. He knew it was me because of the birthmark on my cheek, thus the reason we could never get rid of it. Finally, he found me last year and Maya didn't get a chance to kill me because, uh, I killed her first. The

end."

Her mom, who loved and trusted her deeply, would have her committed to Bellevue within the hour. Ergo, her mom was going to meet Thierry and that was it. Even that in it's self was pretty major. Whether it was a good major or a bad major, Hannah still hadn't figured out.

You see, all was not hunky-dory en la casa de Descoudres.

Let's get something straight, Hannah loved Thierry more than anything in the world, more than her entire life, even more than Snickers bars, which – as you can tell – all added up to a lot of love. She'd give all those things up for him. That's how much he meant to her.

But.

Thierry was not the easiest person to get along with. Know why? Because he was too damn altruistic. Altruistic-ness is a fine quality in a boyfriend but if he has too much of it, it gets so you just want to beat your (or his) brains out.

Ever since they had started dating, he had showered her with gifts and decorations for her dorm-room and credit cards and cars and anything else money could buy. It wasn't until he offered her a yacht on the south of France that she put her foot down. Hannah was an independent women. She liked spending her own money – which she had plenty of thanks to the trust fund she had not been able to access until she turned eighteen her deceased stock-broker father had left for her in his will. (He died when Hannah was eleven and that's when her mom had decided to quit her museum job in Manhattan and move back to where she and Hannah's dad had grown up, Medicine Rock, Montana, so she could pursue her first love: paleontology.)

For the sake of argument, Hannah had to admit that, yes, Thierry had also showered her with love, respect, trust, and even reverence. Which was incredibly nice. But still he wouldn't give her the one thing she truly wanted. It wasn't a big thing. It would only take him two, three days at the most to give it to her. To top it all off, he had already offered it. Given, she had refused it but at the time she hadn't been thinking clearly. Now she was and he couldn't just un-offer it.

Hannah wanted to be a vampire, dammit.

The year before, when she was sitting with Thierry looking at the sun rise on her eighteenth birthday she had felt like no matter what they would be together, for the rest of this and other lives. She even thought that she wouldn't mind getting old while Thierry stayed nineteen forever. Then one day Hannah filled in the gaps she had missed in that particular future corridor of time…

Thierry and Hannah would hold hands and walk down a reclusive, sunny beach in the Bahamas talking about their long and lustrous life together. They'd pick a spot on the beach, just close enough to the water to get sprayed with a refreshing mist of dew every time the waves hit the sand in that perfect spot, and set up an umbrella and towel. Hannah would lay down and Thierry would rub oil all over her wizened, wrinkled skin. Then her arthritis would flare up and he would give her a glorious full-body massage, making sure not to put too much pressure on her thrice-replaced hip. Other couples would walk by and comment on how nice Thierry was to his grandma and he would smile tolerantly – he got that one a lot – and say that no, the beautiful women lying there was not his grandmother but his soulmate. Then he would remove her dentures, place them lovingly in a glass of water, and give her a passionate kiss. The couple would hurriedly move on and they would again be alone. A few minuets later, Thierry would take her up the beach to help her change into a new pair of Depends and later…

The sickness factor of that image alone overrode the combined grossness of drinking pig's blood and having blood-lust for the rest of her incredibly long life.

But when Hannah had tried to explain that very thing to Thierry, his eyes just got all bruised and tender and he said that he'd never, ever wish the curse of being a vampire on anyone, least of all the women he loved before all others.

Do you see now why chivalry is dead?

Sometimes, Hannah just wanted to stand in a dark alley with a sign that said, "Limited offer, 500 dollars to turn me into a vampire," around her neck. She had talked about it with Ash and he offered to do it but she couldn't bring herself to allow anyone but Thierry put their mouth on her neck. Ash understood completely and told her to talk to Thierry again and reason with him.

So, about three weeks ago, she tried again. Thierry got all broody and sullen and told her that she couldn't ask that of him and he said she was acting selfishly. Maybe she was but, then again, so was he. They discussed the issue for about twenty minuets. Despite the fact that Thierry never once raised his voice, it was the closet thing to fight that they'd ever had. And it scared the hell out of her.

Afterwards, they had developed a silent "it never happened" pact and hadn't talked about it since. The thing that was driving her completely up the wall was the ever-plaguing thought that if their relationship couldn't handle a simple fight, how could it withstand an eternity?

Hannah decided to think about less conflicting problems. Circle Daybreak immediately popped into her head.

Circle Daybreak had started out as a circle of witches before the Burning Times who tried to teach humans magic. It was stopped when humans began to burn witches at the stake and the two laws of the Night World, 1) Never tell a human about the Night World and 2) Never fall in love with one, were created. Now Circle Daybreak was a group for anyone who knew about the Night World and wanted humans, vampires, shapeshifters, and witches to coexist. There were a lot more people in Circle Daybreak then Hannah had originally thought. There was one on every campus and Hannah belonged to one at Utah State, although no one new she was Thierry Descoudres' soulmate for safety's sake.

There was also a smaller group of people inside that Circle. A group of people who had all found their soulmates in the first run of human-Night World relations. Hannah smiled the thought of them, her friends, and fell asleep fully clothed, on top of the covers.


	2. Chapter 2

**Death To Chivalry**

2

"Did you find anything on the spell?" Thea asked her cousin hopefully, coming in from the back of her Grandmother's store, which on account of her death belonged to Blaise.

"Nope," she sighed tiredly, brushing back her raven hair. "Nadda," she growled, slamming the head book shut, blowing up dust in the process.

"Don't worry Blaise. We'll find the spell and stop Circle Midnight. Come on, grab another book, I'll help. Hopefully we can get this all done before the Christmas party. You should come with me and Eric and Gillian and David, it'll be fun." Thea promised.

"I don't know…there's a lot of work to get done here and I – "

Since their Grandmother's death, Blaise had taken on more responsibilities then ever. Blaise Harman had really grown up in the past year. She still thought the world revolved around her but at least now she was a bit more humble about it. Some of the credit should go to her blonde cousin, Thea. Ever since the Witches seceded from the council she no longer had to pretend she didn't remember about the Night World and had rejoined her cousin to live with Grandma Harman. Their Grandmother had been dead for over a year and the girls were still grieving. Eric had been there for Thea, but Blaise didn't have anyone special to share her feelings with, besides Thea herself.

"Blaise, honey, you're coming and that's final. Now, let's get to work."


	3. Chapter 3

**Death To Chivalry**

3

The next morning Hannah awoke to find herself under the covers and without her shoes or sweatshirt. Thierry was so concentrate of her, even if he was stubborn as an ox. Or was the proper term mule? Whatever the case, she decided her soulmate needed a nice awakening.

Hannah sat up and stretched, yawning deeply. It was already 10:00, according to the digital clock on her night stand. Pulling the covers off she made her way to the large wardrobe on the other side of the room.

Not caring in the least, she pulled out a pair of Aéropostale flared jeans and a red Old Navy thick-strapped tank-top with hood. After picking up some socks she shut all three drawers with her hip.

Grabbing her red striped Superstar Adidas shoes from the floor by the wardrobe, she opened the door to one of the many huge bathrooms Thierry's mansion had to offer. This one was her favorite.

It was the same on she had used the first time she ever came to Thierry's estate. It had green jungle plants and exotic tiles and star-shaped lights and always made her think of a movie set for some outlandish film.

Stepping past the Jacuzzi she opted for the regular shower. Well, maybe not exactly regular. It was massive, like everything in Thierry's lavish household, and made of marble and gold.

Even now it amazed her how rich Thierry was. But, when you'd been alive for as long as he had, you're liable to gather a few antiques and invest in some good stocks.

A half-hour later, towel drying her hair, Hannah pushed the door to Thierry's room open only to find him still asleep.

Figures, she thought indulgently.

Hannah lovingly watched him sleep. His head was turned toward her and he was lying on his stomach. When he slept peacefully all the responsibilities and pressures he had to deal with during the day were wiped clear off his face. He looked pure and untainted by the worries of life, like a child.

Tennis shoes making no sound on the dark blue carpet, she walked over and sat lightly beside him on the bed. Hannah ran her fingers through his white-blonde hair. Thierry had let it grow out some that summer, so it was slightly curly, but no less feathery.

She trailed her fingers down the side of his face, resting on his lips. She could feel him stir slightly beneath her hand. She decided it was time he got up. Noting that he didn't snore, which was a major plus, she placed a hand on his bare back, feeling the muscles there, and leaned down and kissed him lightly on the mouth.

"Mmmmm…" was his sleepy reply.

_~ Morning Thierry. ~_ Hannah greeted him lightly in his head and kissed him again. This time he kissed back.

_~ Now this is the way to wake up. ~_ Thierry sighed blissfully, using telepathy so the kiss could continue.

_~ Anything for my favorite of the living dead. ~_ Hannah joked, then stood up, earning herself a groan from Thierry.

Smiling playfully she said out loud, "Now. For the answer to the question on everyone's mind…" she trailed off, leaning in conspiratorially, grabbing the top of the sheets covering Thierry's lower body. "Is it boxers or briefs?"

Before Thierry could react, even with his vampire reflexes, she threw off the covers, revealing white Mickey Mouse boxers.

Hiding a smile she announced, "Boxers it is!" Thierry sat up, an slightly irked look on his extremely handsome face. "Now that you're up I'm going to go downstairs and get some breakfast, I suggest you do the same. There's some premium blood in the refrigerator."

"Hold up." He aptly stopped her by grabbing the back of her T-shirt. He drew up his knees as he pulled her across his lap. "I do believe we were interrupted last night. You owe me a kiss."

He once again leaned down for a kiss…

"Hannah?" Lupe Acevedo, the half-human werewolf that had saved her life when another 'wolf had attacked her at the psychologist's office last year said, standing in the doorway to Hannah's room with an amused smile on her face.

...and once again was interrupted.

"It's a conspiracy!" Thierry threw up his arms and leaned back, sulking. Hannah suppressed a giggle.

"Don't pout." She kissed the furrow in his brow and hopped off his lap.

_~ It's just not fair. ~_ He thought gloomily.

_~ I know. ~_ Hannah answered sympathetically giving him a slight grimace, then to Lupe, "What's up?"

"Your mom called to tell you that she had to go to you Aunt Kristen's. Something about a divorce?" Hannah nodded in understanding. Her Aunt Kristen lived in Miami and went through

husbands like water.

"Anyway," The young werewolf continued, "she said that she had to postpone her visit here until later, 'cause she's staying with your Aunt Kristen for a few days. She said she was really sorry."

"Oh. Well then I'll have to give her a call later," Hannah replied, feigning nonchalance. There was a lot of wild emotions going on inside of her at that moment. On one side, she had been waiting for her mom to meet Thierry for a long time and on the other…the pressure was off. Her mom wasn't going to meet him.

Thierry felt her conflicting emotions through the soulmate link but apparently assumed she was just disappointed. _~ Hey, don't worry about it. She'll come. ~_ Thierry reassured her compassionately.

_~ I know. I'll be fine. ~_ She put on her best brave face and turned to head out the door.

"Oh, by the way, _nice_ boxers chief," Lupe called over her shoulder, causing Hannah to burst out laughing.

_~ Oh thank you so much. ~_ He said dryly.

_~ No prob. That's what I'm here for. ~_


	4. Chapter 4

**Death To Chivalry**

4

"Mark! Dad! Claudine!" Mary-Lynnette called from the front door of her house. "I'm home! Hello! It's your favorite collage student, home visiting her loving family, even though she could be out partying!"

Pulling her dark brown hair away from her face, she picked up her Nike duffel bag and trampled up the stairs. What a homecoming. Mary-Lynnette hadn't been home for three months and this is the greeting she got? It was nine o'clock at night, where could they all be? She threw her bag on her bed and decided to go check and see if Mark was over at Jade's.

Jade, Kestrel, and Rowan Redfern lived across from her own house a little ways and they weren't exactly the most typical neighbors. Actually there was nothing typical about them. All three of them were inhumanly beautiful, graceful, and drank blood. Walking down the street, she had to chuckle. Mary-Lynnette Carter, the most average of people, living in the, if not most average of towns then certainly the smallest, had vampires for neighbors. Not just any vampires either. Redferns. The most prominent vampire family in all of Night World. They were the Lamia. As Kestrel put it, the best kind of vampires. The kind that can age and have kids.

It still astonished her how much she had learned about herself since meeting those three girls. She learned that she was not a killer, but could, if necessary, defend herself and love ones. Even against a rabid werewolf formally known as Jeremy Lovett. She also learned that she was a tad more violent then she thought she was, she had repeatedly kicked a total stranger. A total stranger that turned out to be Ash Redfern, her soulmate. She missed Ash a lot. They hadn't been able to spend time together for at least two months.

Noticing what a good job Mark had done on the fence she opened it, then stepped lightly down the path, and knocked on the wood door, stepping right on the now fixed hole in the porch.

"Hello? Rowan? Kestrel? Jade?" She tried the knob, which turned easily in her hand. She pushed it open and called out again. Upon receiving no answer she cautiously walked into the living room.

"Surprise!" Came the loud cry, making Mary-Lynnette jump. "Welcome home!"

There was Claudine, her dad, Mark with his arm around a petite girl with platinum blonde hair, a fierce girl with light copper hair looking less then peppy (basically the norm for Kestrel), and chestnut haired Rowan standing over a large chocolate cake with an ice-cream scoop in one hand and a knife in the other.

"You guys, it's so great to see you," Mary-Lynnette cheered happily. There was only one thing missing. One thing and everything would be perfect.

"Hi, I'm looking for my girlfriend. She's about yay tall, with brown hair and blue eyes and is totally hot. Anyone seen her?" A tall, lanky, stunningly gorgeous guy with ash-blonde hair announced, coming up behind Mary-Lynnette.

"Ash!" She squealed. Now everything was perfect.

"Hey Mare." He picked her up easily and swung her around. "I missed you so much." He bowed his head for a kiss, then looked at Mary-Lynnette's dad, who was glaring daggers at him and instead went for just a peck on the cheek. Mary-Lynnette gave her dad a disgruntled look and rolled her eyes. Her father looked all to smug.

"Okay kids, let's eat before the ice-cream melts." Mary-Lynnette's stepmother ordered in her cute, Bulgarian accent.

Thirty minuets later she and Ash went up to her hill to star watch. Ash was eating about his fifteenth piece of cake. "You only came for the cake, didn't you." She accused, looking through her telescope.

"Of course not. The ice-cream appealed to me too." He hopped back, dodging Mary-Lynnette's advances. "Okay, okay. I did miss my sisters."

"Ash!" She pushed lightly on the chest and he purposely fell backward, bringing Mary-Lynnette with him.

"This however, appealed to me more." He kissed her on the lips, the pink haze on the soulmate link engulfing them. When Mary-Lynnette finally pulled back she saw again every single good deed and thought he'd had for the past two years and four months.

"I'm so proud of you, my knight in shining armor." She smiled.

"You have chocolate on your face," he told her and wiped it off.

"Guess who's fault that is." She poked him playfully in the stomach.

"Who's?" He asked, innocently.

"That other guy I was kissing," she informed him seriously.

"Oh, don't even joke about that."

"Who's joking?" She raised her eyebrows, challengingly and then pulled herself to her feet.

"That's it, you're dead." He jumped up and proceeded in chasing her up and down the hill. When he caught her, he and his soulmate engaged in their favorite activity.

Making-out.

The next day was a Saturday and Mary-Lynnette, Rowan, Kestrel, Ash, Mark, and Jade were just hanging out in the Carter living room doing nothing. "Ash, did you tell her yet?" Jade asked energetically.

"Tell me what?" Mary-Lynnette asked suspiciously.

"Oops. I guess I forgot." Ash admitted sheepishly.

"That's okay. Tell me now." Mary-Lynnette prompted.

"Well, Thierry's having a huge Christmas party and he invited all of us to go. So, is it a date?" He raised one eyebrow.

"It's a date." She agreed. "If Dad and Claudine say it's okay."

"Claudine already said it was fine if we went." Mark said.

"Oh she did, did she?" Mary-Lynnette's dad asked suspiciously, coming in from the kitchen.

"Yes she did." Claudine confirmed. "I thought it would be fun for the kids to go to a party for Christmas. It's not like anything's going on around here."

"But – " he started.

"No buts. They're going."

"What do we even know about this Thierry person. He could be a drug dealer living in the slums for all we know." Mare's dad pressed.

She and Ash exchanged amused looks.

_~ Thierry the drug dealing vampire. It's so... Jerry Springer. ~_ Mare joked.

_~ Yeah, I so could see Thierry in one of his 100,000 dollar Valentino suits selling crack to little kids on some abandoned street corner down in Compton. ~_

Mary-Lynnette couldn't quite suppress a giggle at the mental picture it provoked.

"And what is so funny young lady? Do you even know this Thierry person?" Her dad asked.

"Yes, I've met him and I can guarantee he isn't a drug dealer and he definitely doesn't live in the slums." Mary-Lynnette said, enjoying one of the many incidents when she knew more then her father. It had been happening a lot recently.

"She's right honey. Have you ever heard of Thierry Descoudres?" Claudine asked.

"You mean _the_ Thierry Descoudres? The boy billionaire? The richest person under legal drinking age, _that_ Thierry Descoudres? _He_ knows mister _Times_ man himself?" He pointed at Ash.

_~ You notice how he said that. Like I'm not good enough to be friends with Thierry. Please. ~_ Ash and Thierry were pretty much best friends and no one, not even he and Thierry, knew exactly why.

_~ Just remember that it's not you he doesn't like. It's your relationship with me. ~_ Mary-Lynnette reminded him moderately.

_~ Coulda fooled me. ~_ Ash grumbled.

_~ Don't worry about it Ash. At least we get to go to the party. ~_

_~ I have one more surprise. We are going to a very fancy French restaurant in Salt Lake City on Sunday. Just our crew. ~ _

_~ Oooh, a French restaurant? I can't wait. ~_


	5. Chapter 5

**Death To Chivalry**

5

"Hey Hannah. How was your boyfriend's this weekend?" Lacy Harrison, one of Hannah's roommates asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. It was Tuesday night and she had finally settled down enough to even talk with Lacy.

"Question: Why won't anyone believe that I am not having sex with him?" Hannah asked, annoyed.

"I believe you Hannah." Her other roomy, Shanell Harker, reassured her, putting one dusky arm around her shoulders. "It's just that _some_ people around here cannot accept that anyone would want to cherish their virginity." She looked pointedly at Lacy.

"Hey, college is for having fun, right? For bending the rules. If I chose to socialize in non-platonic ways with hotties of the opposite sex then that's my business. As long as I don't act like a total slut, then sex once in a while is a completely normal thing." She ran a brush through her shoulder-length, curly, auburn hair and checked out her appearance in the hallway mirror. "I have my first date with Brad Phelps tonight. How do I look?" She faced her two roommates squarely.

Lacy's hair fluttered around her head like a cloud, her flashing violate eyes danced in the hallway light. Her creamy pale skin positively glowed and her purple dress fit her perfectly. Hannah always felt plain next to her. If she didn't know any better she would swear that Lacy was a Night Person. But that was one thing she could count on, neither of the girls were Night People. Thierry had made sure of that.

"You look radiant Lace, gorgeous. Go have fun with Brad. Oh, and remember, it is the first date," she called to Lacy's retreating back. Lacy waved back obscurely.

"Okay, now that the Drama Queen is gone, how do I look?" Shanell asked uncertainly. Shanell was wearing a forest green dress that went to just above her knees, setting off her coffee colored skin and deep, velvety eyes.

"You look fantastic Nell. You'll knock Cornelius over. Look out, it's hurricane Shanell. Her mission: to finally get Cornelius to say 'I love you.'"

Shanell flashed Hannah a grateful smile. "Thanks Hannah. Are you sure you're gonna be okay alone?"

"I'll be fine, Nell. I have a lot of studying to do. I'll see you tonight. And I want all the details."

"You got it. Wish me luck." She crossed her fingers and headed off to her boyfriend's dorm.

As soon as her friend was out of sight Hannah grabbed her bag and headed off to the Circle Daybreak club. It was just an on going party for Daybreakers and humans to hang out and talk. The only requirements to get in was that you had to have a Daybreaker and regular ID and be eighteen or older. Hannah usually tried to go at least twice a week when she wasn't busy.

She knocked twice on the door of an abandoned looking building and swiped her Daybreaker ID and showed her regular one. Hannah's Daybreaker ID had a year old picture, her name, her age, her sex, her circle which was classified as "D. Circle" for Descoudres Circle, and her race, which was human.

A boy about her own age opened the peep hole. A dark-haired werewolf. There were lots of werewolves in Circle Daybreak. Mainly because they weren't treated second-class there. "Hi there Hannah," he said with his thick, New Orleans accent.

"Hey Raúl. How's it goin'?" she asked.

"The usual," he shrugged and opened the door. "Have fun."

Hannah smiled, put her IDs pack into her Old Navy canvas bag she carried instead of a purse and headed over to the bar. "Hey Hannah. Haven't seen you lately." Hamilton the bartender yelled over the music, handing Hannah her usual Shirley Temple. He was a senior and a made vampire. It was uncanny how the professors never noticed that he didn't look any different from the day he was turned his freshman year.

"Yeah, I've been really busy and my roommates were hangin' around a lot last week," she answered, handing him a two bucks. He nodded and moved away to get someone else a drink. Hannah looked around the club, looking for any familiar faces. When she didn't recognize anyone she just stared at her full glass.

"Guess what I just heard." A girl with mahogany colored hair, maybe a senior, definitely a witch, told the guy, human, sitting on the stool beside Hannah.

"Hey Tara. What?" The cute, brown-haired guy replied, sounding only mildly interested.

"I just heard that Thierry Descoudres now has a girl pretending to be his soulmate. How pathetic. I also heard that all the people who work there even have to call her Lady Hannah. That's her name, apparently. How totally unoriginal. Well, I gotta run and spread the news. Later Jase."

Hannah almost knocked her glass over in a fit of coughs.

"Are you okay?" The guy asked.

"Yeah, I guess it just went down the wrong pipe," she smiled weakly.

"Hi, my name's Jason Birch." He held out a hand.

She took it. "Hannah Snow."

Across the room, Tara Singer was none to pleased with their meeting. "Who is that over there flirting with my boyfriend?" Tara Singer asked Tyandra Campbell.

"That's Hannah Snow. She's cool. Everybody in here likes her. She's really nice and she has a steady boyfriend. She's in most of my Paleontology classes."

"She _looks_ like she's moving in on Jason," Tara noted maliciously.

"She's not," Tyandra said hurriedly. When Tara decided someone was trouble their social life was pretty much over. Hannah was really great. Tyandra would hate to see her get hurt.

"Mm," was Tara's only reply.

Hannah noticed the attention she was getting. "So is she your girlfriend?" Hannah nodded her head towards the girl named Tara.

"Who? Tara? Yep," Jase nodded and finished off his beer. Hamilton refilled it, force of habit she guessed.

"She must really like you. She's giving me the evil eye," Hannah kidded.

"Tara doesn't really like anyone. She only goes out with me because I'm captain of the basketball team and she's head cheerleader."

"Sounds like a Freddie Prinze Jr. movie," Hannah commented.

"Yeah, unfortunately." He took another drink of his beer.

"So, what was it that she was saying about the Descoudres guy?" she asked casually as possible.

"Thierry? He's a big shot Elder, first made vampire and all. Runs Circle Daybreak." Hannah nodded. "Of course you knew that, duh. Anyway, Tara seems to think that Thierry's soulmate isn't really his soulmate. She thinks she's just faking it. Personally, I don't think that's possible. I've met people who've met their soulmates and according to them you just know. There's no way to fake it."

Hannah let out a sigh of relief. So not everyone here thought she was a phony.

"But then again people in this place will probably believe whatever Tara tells them because they'd be afraid not to."

Oh.

"Why would Tara make up something like that?" Hannah asked, nonplused.

"She seems to think _she's_ his soulmate."

Hannah took another drink and promptly choked on it. _"What?"_ She sputtered. How could Tara be that obsessed with Thierry? She made a mental note to see if Thierry knew her.

"Yeah, stupid isn't it? Well, I gotta go before Tara decides to put a leash on me. See ya later Hannah."

"Bye Jason," she replied vaguely.

Hannah was still stunned at the thought that by this time tomorrow everyone in this whole place was going to hate her.

Not me, she told herself fiercely, the person Tara makes up. The person that makes people call her "Lady Hannah." And that person's not me. I keep having to remind Nilsson not to call me that.

With that mental kick in the ass she grabbed her bag, said goodbye to Hamilton and Raúl and headed back to her room.


	6. Chapter 6

**Death To Chivalry**

6

"So, what did Thierry have to say?" Rashel Jordan asked her soulmate, John Quinn.

"He said that he was having a Christmas party and that we were invited. We're suppose to meet him in Salt Lake City tomorrow." He stretched his compact figure on the couch, laying his head on Rashel's lap. They were hanging around their Boston apartment, their lives conspicuously dull.

"Oh. I was hoping he had a job for us. I'm board out of my mind," The black-haired vampire hunter complained, absently playing with his dark hair.

"Me too. I think the Night World Council is up to something. They've been way to quiet," Quinn, the former most feared made vampire in existence, said.

"Hm. Well I guess we could just go find something to kill," she suggested hopefully.

"What if we end up killing a Daybreaker accidentally?" Quinn cautioned.

Rashel heaved a sigh. "Fine. We won't go hunting. I'm gonna go visit Daphne. At least she's never boring." Rashel got to leave but she was stopped. The next thing she knew she was lying flat on her back and Quinn grinning down at her.

Five minutes later, Rashel was far from bored.


	7. Chapter 7

**Death To Chivalry**

7

Hannah moved Lacy's book closer to her. It was Sunday night and Hannah was unsuccessfully trying to help Lacy understand her trig homework while Shanell was off with her boyfriend who had finally come around and told Shanell he loved her.

"No, to do this problem you have to – " Suddenly the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Lacy offered. She jumped up and stepped over the coffee table, scattering books everywhere. Hannah sighed and bent down to pick them up. From the living room she could hear Lacy's started gasp.

"Where have you been all my life? Please tell me you're here for me."

Hannah chuckled at that, not hearing the visitor's reply. With Lacy's luck, the guy probably was here for her. She straightened the stack of books and stood up. She could hear Lacy come in behind her. "Who was at the – " She turned and saw the last person she ever expected to be standing there. "_Thierry?_ Thierry!" She ran over and threw herself into his arms.

"Hi Hannah," he murmured in her ear, burying his face in her hair, his favorite thing to do.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, still mildly surprised but completely elated.

"I decided that I couldn't wait for you to get to Vegas tomorrow. I wanted to escort you myself," he responded gallantly. "I have a surprise for you."

"Hannah, could I talk to you for a second? Thanks." Without waiting for Hannah's reply Lacy grabbed her arm and dragged her outside. Once there she retched her hand out of Lacy's death grip.

"Okay, _what_ was that all about?"

"You never told me your boyfriend was Justin Timberlake's long lost twin," she accused loudly.

"What? I told you he was cute."

"Cute? _Cute?_ The man standing in there isn't cute. He's drop-dead gorgeous. I mean come on Hannah, if your not having sex with him after being together for almost two years, there is something wrong with you. You're eighteen for God's sake."

"Excuse me?" Hannah was totally perplexed at her friend's attitude and a little offended.

"_Hello_! Reality to Hannah, come in Miss Snow. Here on Planet Earth there is no such thing as a perfect relationship." She swallowed heavily, then continued, "This is 1998 and in the real world you have to worry about your boyfriend cheating on you."

"Lacy, what are you _talking_ about?" Hannah had no idea what brought on this little lecture.

"Is this guy a virgin too?" Lace asked distinctly.

The question made Hannah pause. She and Thierry had this conversation one night. Hannah had been a virgin in _every single one_ of her lives, as amazing as that might sound. Maya had tricked Thierry a bunch of times so that she could sleep with him and he wasn't a virgin when he was turned so he had some experience. Albeit, for as old as he was and as much play as he could have gotten, Thierry had the disposition of a Catholic priest.

"Well, no, but I don't see your – "

"Think about it Hannah. He lives in Nevada. You go to school in Utah. You see each other about once a month. He's a teenage guy. He'd have to be a monk not to be cheating on you," she explained cynically.

Hannah had to smile at that. Lacy had _no_ idea.

"Don't space out on me Hannah. Guys like that have extremely short attention spans. Just be careful. I don't want you to get hurt," Lacy cautioned.

"Don't worry Lace. Thierry would /never/ do anything like that. I love him and he loves me," she replied confidently. Then in a softer tone, "C'mon. Let's go back inside. It's kinda cold out here."

She wrapped on arm around her friend and walked inside with an amused smile on her face and a new understanding for her friend. The reason Lacy never stayed with one guy for very long wasn't because she was some kind of player, it was because she didn't want to stick around long enough to get hurt. As soon as she got back from Christmas Vacation she fully intended to have a nice, long chat with Lacy.

_~ Uh, Hannah? Why are you thinkin' about me cheating on you? ~_ Thierry asked as they entered the room.

_~ I'm not. Lacy is convinced that guys like you take advantage of girls like me. ~_ Hannah explained.

Thierry raised an eyebrow. _~ Guy's like me? ~_

_~ Guys who look like Justin Timberlake. ~ _She clarified.

_~ Oh. ~_ He paused. _~ Who's Justin Timberlake? ~_

_~ Remind me to introduce you to the Wonderful World of MTV sometime. ~_

Thierry gave a mental laugh and said aloud, "Would you mind if I borrowed Hannah, Ms. Lacy?"

"Not at all _Mr._ Thierry," she replied haughtily, going in to the kitchen.

"So. What's the surprise?" Hannah asked, ignoring Lacy's attitude as best she could.

"We are going to Lè Gour Monte," he answered grandly.

"Thierry! Lè Gour Monte? But that's in New York City," Hannah gasped.

"Ah, but you're wrong. They just opened another one in Salt Lake City, and that's where we're going."

"Seriously? I can't believe this, I've always wanted to go there." She looked down at her jeans and long-sleeved Gap shirt and then at Thierry's black Armani suit and tie. "Uh, I guess I gotta change. Will you hold on?"

"Sure, we've got three hours to kill. Take your time." Thierry answered grandly.

"Great. Be right back." With that she rushed into the bathroom, leaving Thierry totally at Lacy's mercy.

Thierry sat down on the couch and looked at his watch.

Twenty minuets later he stood-up to stretch and found Lacy glaring at him from the kitchen door.

"So," Hannah's roommate said from behind Thierry, hands crossed over her chest and a hardened expression on her face.

"So," He repeated, putting his hands in his pockets and rocking back and forth on his heels. They stood like that for a good ten minuets.

"Look, I think we can skip the small talk. Here's my point: You ever, and I mean ever, hurt that girl in there I will _personally_ hunt you down like the dog you are and beat you so hard you won't be able to see straight for a week," she threatened, backing Thierry into a wall.

"I would never –" he started, hands up in surrender.

"Yeah, you would never hurt her because you're so in love with her, blah, blah, blah. I don't believe anything your kind says," she spat.

"My kind?" Thierry asked, momentarily alarmed. How could she have known he was a vampire? That would mean she was either a former lost witch or working for the Night World. –

"All men are the same. You all think with your dicks."

Oh. She didn't know. But still.

"Whoa, down girl. I don't know why you think I'm some jerk out to get Hannah and I don't really care, the point is I'm not. I swear to you if I ever hurt Hannah you won't have to hunt me down, I'll be in a Las Vegas cemetery six feet under." Or more likely mummified with a stake in the heart, he added silently. He looked at her solemnly.

So solemnly in fact, that she backed down. "Well, um, as long as we're clear. I'm gonna go now. Tell Hannah I went to the Union. Bye," Lacy announced, flustered, and flew out the door, grabbing her coat on her way.

"Thierry, I envy your people skills," Hannah said from behind him. Thierry turned… and lost his breath.

Hannah had on a not-too-short short black skirt, a velvet gold short-sleeved shirt, matching high-heeled black sandals with black soles and gold straps. She bent to adjust her sheer pantyhose Thierry leaned over to look at her butt but upon realizing what he was doing, he quickly looked away. She stood and smiled innocently at Thierry, not having a clue what her presence was doing to his head, not to mention his body.

"How do I look?" she asked self-consciously.

Thierry couldn't answer, he had somehow lost the ability to make his mouth work in the time it took her to bend down and straighten up again.

Mistaking his momentary brain-freeze for silent disapproval, her hands went immediately to her hair, which had turned gold in reflection of her shirt. She had curled it and left it down, ringlets framing her face. Even her skin had a golden quality about it.

He finally found his brain again and stepped closer, with eyes full of nothing but perfect love for his soulmate. He followed the barely perceptible trail of Hannah's birthmark with one hand and used the other to open Hannah's palm and placed a kiss in it, then turned that hand over to place another on the ring he had giver her when they first met.

"My sweet angel," he whispered softly, closed his eyes, and lowered his head to press a gentle kiss on her lips.

Thump.

Thierry whipped around, only to find a slightly embarrassed girl kneeling to pick-up some fallen text books.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt. I – "

"Nell! Here let me help you." Hannah cried, and hurried over to help the girl, who Thierry could only assume was her other roommate, Shanell.

_~ Another kiss interrupted. I should make a chart of all the ones I missed and have you repay me at the end of the month. ~_ Thierry joked.

_~ Very funny Thierry. This is a relationship, not community service. ~_

_~ I would never think otherwise. I love you only for what's inside. ~ Thierry _said amiably and truthfully.

_~ Thierry, don't give me that. I saw you checking-out my butt. ~_

Whoops, he thought, strike one. Oh well, it was worth it. She has a nice butt.

_~I heard that. ~_ She warned, leaning down to pick up some of the papers.

Strike two. He groaned and looked down.

_~ Hey, stop looking at my butt! ~ _She cried irately and pulled down her skirt.

Strike three, he added with a sigh. I have some major schmoozing to do.

_~ You got that right. ~_ Hannah agreed.

"That's Thierry, isn't it?" Shanell whispered to Hannah, who was kneeling in front of her, arranging some loose papers.

"The one and only," Hannah whispered back.

"He's a fine in a major way."

But horny as a toad.

_~ Hey, am not! ~_

_~ No more reading my thoughts, or you won't get another kiss until I graduate. ~ _she threatened. Immediately Thierry pulled himself out of her head and she was alone.

"Sorry I ruined the moment. I saw you guys and tried to creep. It didn't work."

"It's okay."

She was secretly relived Shanell had come when she had and saved Hannah the embarrassment of flinging herself at Thierry. Sometimes when he looked at her with those bruised eyes full of love and tender aching for her she lost herself and she wanted to do anything she could to take the hurt out of his eyes. She had used a wall of annoyance at him looking at her butt, which really didn't make her to mad-he was a guy-to cover-up her libidinous weakness. She could keep her calm when facing life-and-death situations, but not her soulmate.

She and Thierry finally got out the door of her campus apartment and headed outside, Hannah with a matching black purse and wrap in hand. "Thierry, you brought the limo?" It was fun riding around in the sleek white limo, but what Tara said kept nagging at her. That reminded her that she still hadn't talked with him about her. She shrugged it off. There was always later.

"Everybody rides in a limo to get to Lè Gour Monte. It's tradition. I even had a some sent over for the rest of the crew." He opened to door of the limo and pulled a box out. "I have the perfect thing to match your outfit." He opened a box to exhibit the most beautiful tulip she had ever seen, in any of her lives.

It was a flawless tulip with translucent petals but when she picked it up the outside of the petal's turned black, while the inside turned gold. It was both real and surreal at the same time. Mind boggling.

"It's a witchy trick Blaise cooked up so her dahlia would always match her dress. When Thea called me to ask if Blaise could come to the restaurant she asked if I had any idea what color dress you were wearing. I said no so Blaise made me one of these in tulip form, ya know, for humans," Thierry explained, slightly embarrassed.

Since all the other people in Circle Daybreak had flowers the organization had adopted tulips for humans. They were going to go with carnations but they decided it was way too Mafia.

"Thierry I love it. It's exquisite." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly. He closed his eyes and put his arms around her waist and they wrapped each other's minds in a blanket of love.

When they finally broke off Thierry smiled and whispered, "I think that more than makes up for lost time."

Hannah smiled in silent agreement. Thierry gently took the flower from her and slid it into her hair.


	8. Chapter 8

**Death To Chivalry**

8

Nearby, Jason came around the corner, hands stuffed deep in the pocket of his letter jacket. He had just come from Tara's, having done his thing. He sighed heavily. Sex with Tara was meaningless, a moment of physical pleasure only. The problem was, there wasn't anyone Jason felt strongly enough about to dump Tara for, except maybe Hannah. But she already had a steady boyfriend and judging by the way she talked about him the night after they first met, she was totally in love with him. The word "soulmate" would probably be more accurate. Jason wasn't jealous of the mystery guy because Hannah was quickly becoming a good friend and he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that, no matter how attractive she was.

Just then he caught a glimpse of Hannah stepping into the back of a white limo, a guy in a suite holding the door. Jason couldn't see his face, but he guessed it was Hannah's boyfriend. Without even realizing it, Jason moved closer to take a quick look at the guy as he got into the limo beside Hannah.

Recognition coursed through him. Thierry Descoudres, founder of Circle Daybreak. Hannah's soulmate was Thierry Descoudres. Hannah was Lady Hannah. He'd never even thought of that possibility. No wonder she was so weirded out that first night. Duh, her name was Hannah. How had he not put two and two together? He smothered a laugh. If Tara only knew.

Abruptly his laughter turned to dread. If Tara found out...Jason knew what would happen next. Tara would get everyone to hate Hannah, add that to the spells she would cast and Hannah's life was pretty much over. There was no way Jason would let that happen. Hannah was too nice a person.

Jason turned and ran to Tara's dorm, he had to make sure she didn't see.

Little did he know, his abrupt departure from Tara's apartment had caused her suspicions to flare up. She had followed him to see where he was going, just to make sure he wasn't two-timing her. Not that she was exactly faithful to him, but that was different. She'd gone to find out if her man was cheating. She had gotten a lot more than that.

The shit had just hit the fan.


	9. Chapter 9

**Death To Chivalry**

9

"Oh James, we get to ride in a limo. How cool," Poppy cried happily. Poppy was happy ninety-nine point nine percent of the time now. Ever since Circle Daybreak came on the map about a year and a half ago she had secretly told her parents that she was still alive. She had been able to visit them because no one in the Night World knew she and James were Daybreakers.

She had her soulmate and her family at the same time, what more could she ask for? She had even built a relationship with her witch-father. Poppy had been living with him ever since she was changed into a vampire by James. James was of the Lamia and when she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer he finally told her that he was a vampire and changed her. It was only after that she found out she and her twin brother Phil were lost witches. Since then Phil had been getting a lot of visits from fellow witches. Girl witches. It didn't take him a week to lose his resolve and embrace his witchy heritage. He had even found his soulmate.

Phil was going to be at the party the next night, along with his soulmate, a pretty Circle Daybreak witch who went to Yale – Phil's college – named Dani Abforth. Poppy was very excited about meeting her. She had wanted to give them time to get to know each other, they had only met a little less than a week before.

"Hello, you must be Mr. James and Miss Poppy. I'm Harlsburg. We're still waiting for Mr. Ash and Miss Mary-Lynnette." A short, made-vampire informed them, opening the door of the limo. Poppy picked up the hem of her red silk dress that matched her hair and set off her eyes and climbed into the limo, James sat beside her, muttering something about never getting there because Ash was always late.

Poppy smiled. The two cousins had gotten along famously since they had met for the first time as Daybreakers, but they still had a rivalry thing going on. Mary-Lynnette, on the other hand, was now one of Poppy's best friends, they even lived the same state. Mary-Lynnette was in the was in the astronomy department at SUNY while Poppy was studying to be a doctor at NYU. Ever since her brush with cancer, she had held a new respect for doctors and their work.

James and Poppy looked at each other and had to stifle their laughter. They felt like they were going to prom. Poppy even had a black rose corsage on her wrist and James had a black iris pinned to his white suit jacket.

The door was flung open and a boy with white-blonde hair appeared.

"Hi kids." Ash grinned impishly and then moved out of the way of the door. He was replaced by Mary-Lynnette. She was wearing a dark green velvet dress. Her straight, light brown hair was some how held back in a half ponytail by a black tulip. Her dark blue eyes sparkled in greeting.

"Oh, Mary-Lynnette, you look absolutely gorgeous," Poppy squealed, giving her friend a hug.

"Me? No, you look great. I love your hair," Mary-Lynnette squealed back as Ash climbed in beside her in a black tux with a beautiful dark green shirt underneath with no tie. He too had a black iris pinned to his shirt.

The two Lamia grinned at each other in amusement over their soulmates heads. They both sat back and tried to tune out the girl's chatter.


	10. Chapter 10

**Death To Chivalry**

10

Gillian Lennox, former lost witch, turned to stare at her distant cousin, Blaise Harman, from the window of the limo. She had fully embraced the leather revival and was wearing a skin tight, short, leather dress with black pantyhose and high healed black leather boots. Her straight black hair fell down to her slim waist. Around her neck was a beautifully made gold necklace with a black dahlia on the end. She sauntered over to the limo and slid in, nodding a greeting to Gillian and David.

Gillian's other cousin, Thea, came behind Blaise wearing a pink, knee length dress with pink pumps and a black dahlia on her wrist, looking like Reese Witherspoon from Legally Blonde. A boy Gillian knew as Eric, in a brown suit, waited for Thea to finish locking-up and held the door open for her as she got in.

"Hi Gillian, hi David. It's great to see you again," Thea said.

"It's great to see you too. How's it going in the land of the animals?" Gillian asked the pair, adjusting her strapless, eggshell white dress and straightened her own black dahlia corsage.

"It's going great, we've both got internships at the vet's office now. How's Ohio State?" Eric asked David and Gillian.

He made an okay gesture in response and Gillian smiled. She couldn't wait to get her degree in physiology and become a school counselor.

_~ You'll be a great counselor ~_ David said proudly, following the trail of her thoughts.

_~ Thanks David. ~_ She smiled lovingly at her soulmate and placed her hand on his arm, which was covered by his gray suit jacket. _~ I can't wait to get to the restaurant. ~_ Gillian told David.

_~ Me neither. ~_ David confessed, totally contradicting his tough-guy image.


	11. Chapter 11

**Death To Chivalry**

11

Stepping into the restaurant Hannah sucked in a breath. "Thierry, it's so beautiful." The walls were all done in gold or white gold trimming and had artwork featured on all the walls. Above everything was a the box they use during plays and operas. Hannah had no idea what it was doing in here.

_~ While your eating someone walks by and asks if you have any requests for music, slow only, and he takes it up to the DJ up there and he plays it. They've got everything from Beethoven to, to...~_ Thierry floundered, trying to come up with a recent group.

_~ The Backstreet Boys? ~_ Hannah offered helpfully.

_~ Probably. ~_

_~ How 'bout P.O.D? ~_

_~ Um…sure. ~_ Thierry guessed. Hannah grinned. For some reason, she highly doubted they would play hard rock here, even if it was Christian.

"Your name sir?" Some old French guy asked primly.

"Descoudres, party of thirteen." Thierry answered.

"Ah yes, Mr. Descoudres." He intoned, motioning for a waiter. "You're looking well tonight. And might I say, what a lovely date you have. Isn't that right Gerogio?" he asked a short, flustered-looking teen with curly brown hair.

"Ye-yes, very lovely." The boy blushed. Hannah smiled at him in thanks and took Thierry's arm.

_~ I'm gonna have to watch you all night. ~_ Thierry joked, pulling out her chair for her.

She smiled up at him slyly and quipped, _~ Is that such a chore? ~_

He smiled rakishly back at her then looked around the large round table. Then to the door. Then to his watch. "They're late," he remarked as he sat down to her left.

"No, we're just early," Hannah reprimanded.

"You just like to argue don't you? If I said the world was round you'd still disagree, just to be difficult," he accused lightly.

"Of course not. I'd silently agree and then change topics until I found one we did disagree on," she said, looking through the menu. He laughed and took out his own. They figured that they might as well choose what they wanted before the others got there.

_~ What's good here? ~_ Hannah asked, not wanting anyone to think she had no idea what to order in a French restaurant. Which she didn't.

_~ The Cocá Vín is supposed to be the chief's specialty. ~_ Thierry answered.

_~ Uh, sounds good to me. ~_ Hannah replied, trusting Thierry not to have her eat calf's brains or something equally gross.

_~ Don't worry, I'm ordering the same thing. I may be a centuries old vampire but I'm still a teenager at heart. ~_ Thierry promised speechlessly.

_~ You know, it's rather disconcerting to be thinking to yourself and have you answer. ~ _Hannah confided, putting down her menu.

_~ You want me to stop? ~_ he asked, a little hurt.

_~ No, it's weird, but in a good way. ~_ Hannah reassured him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Death To Chivalry**

12

"It's a good thing that legend about vampires not photographing is just a myth or I'd be in trouble." Quinn told Rashel under his breath as he stepped out of the limo behind his soulmate.

The red carpet leading to the glass double-doors of the large restaurant was flanked with loud photographers who could be heard shouting things like "Who's that?" and then the reply, "That's a Descoudres limo, must be more of his party," in between the snaps of the cameras. Rashel's superior eye for detail caught Thierry's security team positioned around the perimeter. No unwanted Night Worlders were going to ruin this little adventure.

Rashel took Quinn's offered arm and walked down the red carpet, head down low. She never cared for cameras. They made her all to traceable. Quinn had the same notion and kept his head down too.

Rashel was wearing red leather pants, a plain black spaghetti-strapped tank-top underneath a long-sleeved, sheer, black over-shirt, and black thick-heeled, knee-high go-go boots. Rashel had gotten very good at walking in heels, and had discovered that a thick heal delivered a heavier blow than just a plain shoe. A black tulip was around her wrist.

Quinn opened the door for her and she smiled at him. He was wearing black dress-pants, black dress-shoes, and a crimson, un-tucked, button-up shirt. Around his neck was a silver guy's chain with a black rose emblem at the end. He looked devastatingly handsome-as always.

As soon as they had stepped in the door a waiter came up to them. "Monsieur Quinn and Madam Rashel I presume?" The old man asked in a heavy French accent.

"That'd be us." Rashel answered and the pair were immediately ushered to a large round table. Quinn pulled out a chair to the right of Blaise for Rashel. The two dark, striking beauties greeted each other and began to talk.

At the end of the meal, just before dessert, Hannah avidly listened to Quinn and Eric, who it seemed both had a vivid interest in horse racing, argue about whether or not the sport was moral. Eric thought it was endangering the animals and Quinn thought it was all in good fun. It was getting very heated and Hannah was both in agreement and impressed with Eric's views.

She turned when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Ash stooped beside her. Out of all the soulmates, she and Ash had the best relationship. It seemed she reminded him of Mary-Lynnette and he had an uncanny resemblance to Thierry, although that didn't mean they were in anyway non-platonic with each other, not even. They were only friends.

Hannah, I need your help. He whispered telepathically.

Hannah leaned closer and replied, "No problem. What do ya need?"

I want to surprise Mare, he answered.

"What do you have in mind?" Hannah asked.

Ash Redfern, mister big-bad vampire actually blushed. I want to sing to her.

"What?" she choked out loudly, trying her hardest not to burst-out laughing.

"Shhh." Ash ordered looking around. Everyone was kind of looking at them out of the corner of their eyes.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I didn't know you could…ya know," she sputtered quietly. It was getting increasingly more difficult for her to contain her mirth.

"Well, I can. I've never sang in public before and I just wanted moral support, not to be dissed. If I wanted that, I would have told Quinn," he hissed.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I'll help you. No more laughing, I swear." She held up three fingers. "Girl Scout's honor."

Ash nodded once. _All right, then let's go._ He stood-up and waited for her to stand.

Hannah leaned over to Thierry, who was talking with Thea, and thought, _~ I'll be right back. You're gonna wanna stay right here, this is going to be good. ~_ She kissed him on the cheek and followed Ash through the restaurant.

Mary-Lynnette watched Ash go, wondering what he was up to now.

Ash met the DJ in the back of the stage and slipped him a fifty, well aware that he was being ripped off by the only DJ in history who wore a suit with suspenders to his job.

Ash cleared his throat and hummed a perfectly pitched tune under his breath. His stomach was doing flip-flops. He'd covered it well but Ash always had an underlying fear that if he ever did anything wrong Mary-Lynnette would dump him like a bad habit. She had taken him back with little reserves two summers ago, but Ash still had a complex about it.

Hannah patted him on the shoulder affectionately. "Calm down, Redfern. You're gonna be just fine. I'll do your intro and then you can go out and blow the roof off this joint."

Ash nodded and steadied his breathing. Hannah walked out on to the stage. Ash looked down at his shaking hands. "Get it together, you pussy," he ordered himself and clenched his hands into fists.

"Ladies and Gentleman, if I could please have your attention?" Hannah called from the center of the stage. She waited until the noise had died down and then continued, "Tonight we have a very

special treat for you. One of my very close friends would like to dedicate a special song to the love of his life. Mary-Lynnette, this one is for you. Please, give it up for Ash Redfern!" Hannah announced. She clapped for him and then adjusted the mic a couple of inches. He was six foot one, same as Thierry, and she was five-nine and wasn't wearing very high heels.

Hannah winked at him as she passed. Ash took a deep breath and looked out from the stage.

"Go Ashy-boy!" Quinn cheered anonymously from their table. Ash couldn't even bring himself to even glance at Mare.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, before I begin I would like to introduce you to my own personal heckling section, please show your love for John Quinn!" All eyes in the room shifted to Quinn. Ash's friend quickly ducked his head. "Uh-huh, that's what I thought." The audience laughed and Ash felt ten times better. He looked over at the DJ and nodded his head. The intro to the song that best described his and Mare's relationship began to play.

"This song is called Drops of Jupiter and it's by Train." Ash took a deep breath and began the lyrics.

His singing was memorizing.

"'…Tell me did you sail across the sun? Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded and that heaven is overrated? Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star, one without a permanent scar? And did you miss me while you were looking at yourself out there?' " Ash held out his smooth tenor until the end of the verse.

The audience broke out into an enthusiastic applause and it was only then that Ash felt secure enough to look at Mare. She was sitting at the table and smiling radiantly at him.

They looked at each other intently from across the room. Hannah walked out beside him and pulled the mic over. "Come on Mare, get up here. I know you want to," she suggested. Mare came up behind the stage and quickly walked out to him. While she was doing that Hannah tactfully exited the stage. Mare put her hands on his face and pulled him down for a prudent but all together passionate kiss.

_~ So, what's your permanent scar, Ash Redfern? ~_ Mare asked, deepening the kiss. He barely registered that the audience was getting even more enthusiastic.

_~ What do you mean? ~_ he asked, going for bland.

_~ Come on Ash. It's that you're a vampire, isn't it? Well, let's get this straight, I do not see that as a scar. And I would never think of you as plain 'ol Jane. I know what you've been doing. No more walking on egg shells, buster. I'm here to stay. ~_ She ended the kiss and stared in him the eye. "I'm here to stay." She repeated. Ash broke out into an even wider smile and kissed her again.

God it felt good to be able to finally relax.


	13. Chapter 13

**Death To Chivalry**

13

By the time dessert was over it was ten and they all decided that instead of going to Thierry's they would all get room at a hotel near campus. Hannah wanted to take all the girls to a Circle Daybreak Club but Thierry wanted to talk to Thea, Blaise, and Poppy about the vision. They complained and Thea pointed out that David and Eric knew just as much and that they could help so Thierry relented.

Gill, Thea, Poppy and Mare quickly changed into more comfortable clothes while Rashel and Blaise stayed in their same respective outfits. They grabbed their IDs and pilled into Thierry's Benz, which Nilsson had gladly driven down. He left in one of the limos so he could get back to Las Vegas.

Hannah drove into campus so she herself could grab her own IDs and pull on dark-blue jeans and a white, hooded Aéropostale shirt. Hannah pulled on her black-striped Adidas sneakers, she at least ten different colors. She took her hair down into a half ponytail and pinned back in the rose, which was now black on the inside and dark blue on the outside, to the ponytail holder. No one as at the apartment because Shanell and Lacy both went home for Christmas. Once she was finished, she slid back into the car and swung into the parking-lot of the club. She walked to the door and swiped her card.

Raúl opened the peep hole. "Oh, hey Hannah. How's it-" he started, but then he stopped. One gorgeous human, three powerful witches, one made vampire-witch, and one wakened Old Soul standing together was liable to make any guy lose his train of thought. "Who are your friends?" he managed to choke out.

"This is Rashel Jordan, Gillian Lennox, Blaise Harman, Poppy North, Thea Harman and Mary-Lynnette Carter. They're all members of my circle in Vegas." The girl's swiped their cards and showed their IDs.

Raúl opened the door slack-jawed and allowed the girls to pass, a stunned look on his grungy-handsome face.

"Well, well, well. The poseur actually showed-up." Tara muttered to herself. She watched Hannah walk to the bar, six girls trailing behind her. Tara's eyes widened when she recognized three of the last four female witches in the Harman line. The tall, black haired human was Rashel Jordan. A.k.a., 'The Cat'. Hannah had some powerful friends. Tara didn't let it bother her. She assumed that as soon as "Lady" Hannah was put into her proper place they would all flock to her.

Tara had proof that Hannah wasn't really who she said she was and Topen would be here in less than five minuets to show that ho who was boss.

Hannah watched Blaise slip into the crowd with some random guy.

"Hannah, Hannah! I'm glad I finally found you," Jason exclaimed, slightly out of breath.

"What's wrong Jase?" she asked, concerned. The rest of the girls were looking at the two.

"I saw you tonight with Thierry," Jase announced. Hannah wondered if he didn't want to be her friend anymore because of that.

"Yeah, so? He's my soulmate, okay?" Hannah said defensively.

"I know, I know and I'm fine with it. The problem is that Tara saw you too. When I saw you I started to book it back to her apartment but she was right behind me. I tried to convince her that you were for real but she wouldn't believe me. I think I made her even more obsessed with getting Thierry when I dumped her," Jason replied.

Hannah was stricken. She looked around. It didn't seem like Tara had told anyone yet.

"Who's Tara?" Rashel asked, taking a sip of her Coke.

"She's this psychotic head case who I was unfortunately dating even though she thinks she's Descoudres' real soulmate," Jason explained to Blaise.

"No way!" Poppy exclaimed.

"Yeah, like, Hannah and Thierry are the poster kids for soulmates. They've been soulmates since the stone ages. Hannah here is a very Old Soul." Mary-Lynnette informed him.

"Really? I thought there was something different about you," Jason commented.

"What's Tara's last name?" Thea asked.

"Singer. She was a lost witch up until about four years ago," Jason answered.

Thea shrugged. "Never heard of her."

"Well, it doesn't matter. She can't be that big of a threat." Rashel said.

"Never underestimate the power that popular people pull. They can make people agree with almost anything," Gillian advised. It was handy having a psych major around.

"Yeah, and frankly, I don't like the thought of anyone hating me, unless it's a Night Worlder." Hannah told her friends.

"No worries, we gotcha covered Hannah," Rashel said confidently.


	14. Chapter 14

**Death To Chivalry**

14

Back at the hotel, Thierry and the guys had changed into more comfortable clothes. Thierry wore the baggy Structure jeans, loose American Eagle short-sleeved shirt, and dark-brown, leather, Doc Martins Hannah had bought for him.

The guys were finally putting the pieces that the girls had left them together. So far they'd surmised that the spell was cast to bring about a "seeker of the ones." Thierry assumed "the one's" naturally meant the Wild Powers. The spell called for your basic time-travel ingredients plus something that didn't add-up in the translation. They had skipped it and moved on to the readings. The part Poppy heard said, "Lautumiae oriundus quam patria iussu tyrannus diu absentis; Lautumiae oriundus quam caminus elaetiam contineo quam miko; Lautumiae oriundus quam putesco mundus quoduo oculus utpote; Lautumiae oriundus quam crepusculum insum aeter tenus quam acerbus aeter." Which was the Latin for the Wild Power prophecy.

One from the land of kings long forgotten,

One from the day world where two eyes are watching,

One form the hearth that still holds the spark,

One from the darkness to be one with the light.

All Circle Midnight needed to say was the incarnation for time-travel, then the Wild Power Prophecy, and something about a sacrifice. It talked about upsetting the balance of good and evil. And then it went back to "Animus ex praeteritus." They'd double-checked it but the definition wasn't quite clear. The spell called for it to be drawn out of the sacrifices' body while the sacrifice bleed to death from well-placed knife wounds.

Thierry began rubbing his forehead and mumbling to himself. "Animus. Spirit. They need a spirit seeker? No that's what they're calling they wouldn't sacrifice it. Ex. Means of. Praeteritus. Past, pastime? Spirit of pastime? Sprit of past. No, you can't sacrifice just a spirit. It needs to come in a body." The other guys looked pretty impressed with Thierry's thought process. "What did Animus also mean?" Thierry asked himself. It had been a long time since Thierry had used Latin. "Soul, heart – " Something clicked. "Soul, soul. Soul of Past," he said slowly. "Soul of pastimes." His heart began to race and he swallowed heavily. "Upsetting the balance. Our balance rests on the Circle Daybreak soulmates and the Wild Powers. Not soul of pastimes. Soul of past _times_. An Old Soul," he concluded and locked eyes with Ash. "Hannah," he breathed, terrified.

"Oh my God in heaven." Ash sent up the prayer in a subdued voice.

Thierry lunged out of his seat and ran full speed to the door. He had no plan, his only thought was to get to Hannah before the Night World did. They'd made a public appearance. The Night World knew his soulmate was an Old Soul. A powerful Old Soul. They could have seen them tonight an followed her, even with all the security. He'd been so stupid. This was exactly why they'd never, ever made any public appearances together before. Thierry knew they would come after her tonight before Thierry could put in a safe place. The council knew how his mind worked.

He kept picturing Hannah's lifeless body, her eyes vacant, her skin marred with large holes through which crimson blood flowed through, blurring together with all the other times he'd seen her corpse.

It was a picture that would be permanently etched into his brain.

Thierry ran across campus faster, the other vampires hot on his heels, humans coming up short.

Thierry prayed he would get there in time.


	15. Chapter 15

**Death To Chivalry**

15

At the time, Hannah was doing a little praying of her own. Only she was praying that Tara would just leave her alone. Her prayer went unanswered.

"Attention, attention everyone!" Tara called from where she was standing on a pool table. The guys around it were entertaining themselves by looking up her short mini-skirt. The DJ cut the music right in the middle of, ironically, Mya's Case Of The Ex and the lights in the bar flickered on. "Attention. I'd just like to make it be known that we have royalty partying with us tonight. Here we have Gillian Lennox and Blaise and Thea Harman." Tara clapped and so did the rest of the room. "We also have with us Rashel 'The Cat' Jordan. Former vampire slayer but now an avid member of Circle Daybreak." More clapping. Hannah's stomach clenched. The girl's glared at Tara. "And last but certainly not least, we have," She paused. "Lady Hannah of Circle Daybreak."

The whole room turned to look at her.

"Or, maybe not," Tara said. She jumped down off the table and sauntered toward her. "Are we really sure that this is Hana of Three Rivers?"

Hannah snapped her head around. "How did you know I was Hana of Three Rivers in my first incarnation?"

"There isn't much I don't know about Hana of Three Rivers, considering I was her, not you." Tara told the crowd, who all gasped and whispered to each other. Just like in the movies. "That's right. I'm Thierry Descoudres' soulmate, not this wanna-be."

"That's not true," Poppy said adamantly.

"Oh, and who are you to talk about truth? I know all about you, Poppy North. You're soulmates with James Rasmussen. You're a Circle Daybreaker all right, but you're also a Night Worlder," Tara accused, advanced on the smaller girl.

"Hey, leave Poppy alone. She and James were the first soulmate couple to find Thierry in hopes of challenging the Night World and bring about the popularity of Circle Daybreak. They used to sometimes act as spies to the Night World before they were found out but they are in no way loyal to the Night World." Hannah stepped in front of her friend and glared down a good four inches at Tara. "So leave her out of this."

"You're right, this is between you and me," Tara turned away. "So, are you really Thierry's soulmate?" Tara asked.

"Yes, I am. Thierry is _my_ soulmate and I've been waiting for him for more lifetimes than you can count and there is no way in hell you are going to screw it up for us in this one! I dusted the first vampire ever, Maya, to save him and I'm not going to let some little bitch like you take him away again."

Hannah and Tara glared daggers at each other.

Thierry came up to the Night World Club and looked around. It didn't seem like security had been breached. He calmed himself as best he could although what he really wanted to do was bust in and throw Hannah over his shoulder and take her somewhere safe. But he couldn't

alarm the Daybreakers inside. He had to be discreet.

It was probably going to kill him.

He whipped out his hefty wallet and swiped his Daybreaker card and showed his ID.

"Lord Descoudres!" A young werewolf stammered in a Creole accent as he opened the door.

"Call me Thierry. Have you seen anyone unusual tonight?" He asked the werewolf, Ash, Quinn, and James coming to a halt behind him.

"Not really. Just regulars." The werewolf paused. "Oh, but one of the regulars, Hannah Snow-"

"So Hannah is here," Thierry breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yeah, you know her?" The werewolf asked, surprised.

"What were you going to say before?" he prodded.

"Oh, just that she brought in a made vamp that kind of seemed like a witch, three Harman girls, The Cat, and a mighty fine lookin' human."

"Hey, back off buddy, she's mine," Ash growled. Thierry could almost hear him thinking that werewolves were especially attracted to Mary-Lynnette.

"Ash Redfern?" The werewolf asked, his voice full of awe. Both his and Thierry's legendary heroics preceded them.

"The one and only. Now let us in before something bad happens to Hannah," Ash commanded.

"Hannah's in trouble?" The werewolf said, alarmed. He quickly opened the door.

"Not if I can help it. There's two male humans behind us. Let them in but no one else," Thierry instructed him.

"Right." The werewolf gave with a nod of his shaggy brown head.

Thierry clamped one hand on the boy's shoulder and pushed past him.

The scene before him could have been straight-up out of a soap opera. His soulmate was being advanced on by Tara Singer. Thierry groaned in recognition. She hadn't changed much in the last four years.

The twenty-one-year-old former lost witch was now the more immediate problem.

"So you admit that you're his soulmate?" Tara interrogated.

"With pride," Hannah answered, well, proudly.

"Well, then. If you're so proud of being soulmates with Thierry than why did you keep it a secrete?" Hannah opened her mouth to answer but somebody beat her to it.

"This is why," Thierry announced, coming out of nowhere. Hannah noticed he was wearing one of the outfits she bought him and was delighted once again to see that the casual look really worked for him.

"Thierry!" Tara exclaimed.

Thierry came to stand beside his soulmate, taking her hand in his. Hannah squeezed it but continued to scowl at Tara. David and Eric, breathing heavily, joined them on the side.

_~ We need to get you out of here. You're in major – ~_

"Well, it's good that you're here. We can finally set the record straight." Tara continued, a little less confident now that Thierry was actually there.

"Yes, we can set it straight. You are not my soulmate. I haven't seen you for four years after you showed up at my door claiming to be Hana. I let you in because I could tell you were a lost witch, let you stay the night, and then sent you to Grandma Harman's the next day. That's it, and that's all there will ever be." Thierry explained.

"But, but, we _slept_ together. And it was the best I've ever had!" she whined.

David let out an amused half-laugh and Quinn cheered, "You da man!" the same time Jason yelped, "Hey!"

Hannah sucked in a breath and held it. She looked wildly at Thierry who was glowering at Tara. How could he have slept with her? He'd never mentioned that. Hannah stiffened and barely felt Thierry squeeze her hand.

"After you cast a _forbidden_ spell on me. You're lucky I didn't turn you in." Spell. Hannah visibly relaxed but still thought that he should have told her.

_~ I know, but I didn't think it mattered since it wasn't of my own free will. I'm sorry. ~_

_~ You are forgiven. If you get me out of here without everyone hating me. ~_

_~ Done. ~ _Thierry kissed her on the forehead and said, "Circle Daybreakers. Hannah Snow is my soulmate, she has the birthmark." He gestured to her face and the people murmured to each other in agreement.

"No! No, she's not and I can prove it!" Tara yelled, almost to the point of hysteria.

Thierry watched as, abruptly, the werewolf came flying into the bar, knocking over glasses and bottles.


	16. Chapter 16

**Death To Chivalry**

16

"Ohmigosh! Raúl! What happened?" Hannah gingerly touched his leg where a silver dagger was protruding through it.

"Hannah, Hannah." He breathed. "You gotta get out of here."

"What? Why?" Hannah asked, bewildered.

Raúl looked behind Hannah to Thierry. "I'm sorry man. They're here. I-I couldn't stop them. They-"

"It's not your fault Raúl. You're gonna be just fine." He turned to look around. "Poppy?"

"Yeah, I got it." She probed his wound, reaching out with her mind to him.

"Get him behind the bar." Thierry said. Poppy and James moved the injured werewolf behind the bar. Blaise came around from the back of the club to stand with the group.

They all watched as Jason and Blaise locked eyes. They moved together slowly.

"You're the one." Blaise said softly.

"So are you." Jason answered.

Hannah looked back and forth at the two. "Oh, you've gotta be fucking kidding me," she said, an amused smile playing on her lips.

"All right Blaise," Thea congratulated her cousin.

"Thea, I need your help." Poppy said from behind the bar

Thea hopped over the bar and knelt beside Poppy.

"Isn't this touching." An arrogant voice said from the center of the room. He was a tall male witch dressed all in black, as were the twenty-three Night People behind him.

"This is Topen Nadia. He knows for a fact that Hannah isn't really Thierry's soulmate," Tara said almost childishly.

"Did I say that? Hm. I must have been mistaken. That is Hana of Three Rivers." Topen shrugged.

"But-but you said-" Tara stammered.

"I know, baby. I said you were Hana. I'm so sorry, but it was nice of you to lead us to her. And look, we have the rest of the Sovereign Six, too. How convenient."

"Sovereign Six? That's fucking weak, man," David grimaced.

"But-but-but." Tara looked around wildly and Thierry and Hannah shared a sharp pang of sympathy for the girl. She had been used.

"I know. Shhh. It's gonna be okay," Topen cooed. Without warning he shot a ball of Witchlight at the girl, knocking her back into the wall. Thierry could distinctly hear Tara's neck snap.

"No!" Hannah cried, instinctively moving forward. Thierry held her back with one arm.

Chaos reined. The club was emptied of civilians, save Raúl, Jason, and the bartender. He was helping Poppy and Thea with Raúl. Thierry quickly thought of a game plan. He made a mental list of players.

Topen had the new dark ninjas: five werewolves, twelve shifters, six vampires, and himself-a witch.

Thierry had five vamps, including himself and Poppy, four witches, including Poppy, and three humans who could do some damage. Scratch that, he had two humans. Hannah wasn't fighting.

_Okay, here's the plan. Jason, Eric, and Mary-Lynnette. Help the bartender with Raúl. Hannah, get behind the bar. Ash, Quinn and Rashel, protect Hannah. They're coming after her. James, David, and I will attack. Poppy, Thea, Gillian, and Blaise, Witchlight. Keep it coming_. Thierry told the group using regular vampire telepathy.

"Hold-up. I wanna fight," Jason said lowly.

_Fine. Jason, you're with us._

_~ Thierry! I am not just sitting behind this bar and doing nothing! I can- ~_ Hannah started, using the soulmate link.

"You're staying back there and that's the end of it," Thierry snapped at her sharply. Her beautiful, expressive, gray-blue eyes widened and she looked hurt. Hannah slowly crouched behind the bar. His crew exchanged looks but Thierry didn't care. He was going to keep Hannah safe if it killed him.

_Ash_, he sent harshly, _Don't let her fight. Keep her down._

_You got it,_ Ash agreed.

_Okay everyone. Vamps, Power and teeth. Witches, Witchlight. Humans, get some weapons._ Two brooms were thrown out from behind the bar. David and Rashel, obviously glad to be in a fight, caught them. Jason picked-up a stool and handed it to him. Thierry ripped off the four wooden legs and handed one to Jason, Quinn, Ash, and James to use as stakes. Thierry didn't want a weapon. He was going to beat these guys down with his bare hands.

He felt his eyes change to silver and his teeth lengthen.

He looked at Topen challengingly. "Let's do this."


	17. Chapter 17

**Death To Chivalry**

17

Hannah had her back to the bar. Ash, Quinn and Rashel were standing in front of her fighting off the Night Worlders before they could get behind the bar. Hannah narrowed her eyes. She wasn't going to take anymore of this. She hadn't spent more than a year of her life learning self-defense so she could sit behind a bar just so Thierry could feel more like a man. Not even.

Okay, she knew that's not why Thierry was keeping her back there, it was to protect her but she could get a lot more righteously angry thinking he was a sexist pig, no matter how untrue it was.

Hannah crawled out from the bar, making sure that Ash and the others didn't see her. She crouched low to the ground in front of an unsuspecting vampire carrying a crossbow. She tripped him up, took his weapon, and used it to shoot him directly through the heart.

Hannah went back behind the bar and took up station. She found David fighting with a lion shape-shifter who had him pinned to the table. David had the broom in the tiger's mouth. Hannah aimed at the lion's forehead and fired. The lion reared off David and he used the opportunity to slit the lion's throat with a dagger he had found. David looked around the room and saw her with the crossbow. Hannah winked at him and he plowed into a group of vamps, broom whistling. Hannah once again took up visual. She spotted a vampire getting off the floor and mummified him.

Crossbows were fun.

Hannah's eye was caught by Thierry. He was fighting Topen in the center of the room. Behind him, three vamps were ready to attack. Hannah took aim and shot the one on the left. Then the one in the center fell. She aimed for the third, but nothing happened.

She looked down at her crossbow. It was empty.

"Shit," she cursed. Hannah threw away the bow. The third vamp was ready to slit Thierry's throat with a wooden dagger. Without thinking, Hannah jumped over the bar and went after the vampire with the dagger like she was a professional football player.

He went down and they rolled together. Hannah ended up on top and used pressure points to make him drop the dagger. She punched him in the face five times in succession before he lifted his head and slammed it into hers, breaking her nose. Hannah momentarily drooped and the vampire rolled her beneath him. He held both her hands above her head with one of his big ones and raised the other to strike her.

"Hannah!" Thierry cried out. He hit the large vampire with a burst of Power and lifted him up two feet off the ground. Thierry threw the vampire into the stereo-system like he was a rag doll. "What are you doing?" he ranted at her, pulling her to her feet. He all but dragged her into the hallway. "I told you to stay behind the bar!"

"What are you gonna do about it? Throw me through the wall? I just saved your life. You might try being grateful and calming yourself down!" Hannah raved back.

"Calm down? You want me to calm down? Not until you are far, far away from here. As for you saving my life, forget it. You're the important one here. You're they want to kill, not me." Thierry told her. He leaned in closer. "If they get their hands on you they're gonna methodically cut deep holes in you and rip your soul from your body. And while you slowly bleed to death you can watch as 'the seeker of the ones' comes out through the portal and finds the fourth Wild Power and kills him or her, dooming the entire world."

Hannah stared at him for a moment, letting it sink in.

"I couldn't stand watching you die," Thierry told her softly. He lifted his hand to cup her cheek but stopped, not quite touching.

All at once all the anger and hidden feelings from the literal years of never truly discussing anything flooded through her. "Oh, but you're so good at that, aren't you?" she hissed, narrowing her eyes.

Hannah regretted it the instant it came out of her lips. She hadn't meant to say it. Okay, she had, but not the way it sounded. She did not blame Thierry for anything, it was not his fault.

But he didn't know that.

Thierry stepped back, his eyes the darkest of blues. The fangs were gone, as was the silver. Her heart wrenched as she looked at his pained face.

"Thierry." She moved closer. " I didn't-" Suddenly, a ball of Witchlight knocked her through the wall. The last thing she saw was Thierry's terrorized expression before she blacked out.


	18. Chapter 18

**Death To Chivalry**

18

Thea looked over at Thierry. He was still leaning against the wall in the exact spot he'd collapsed in an hour ago after they'd taken Hannah. Nobody had the heart to get him up. They all knew what was going to happen to Hannah. The atmosphere in the bar was depressing, to say the least.

The bartender had taken Raúl to a Daybreaker hospital over forty-five minuets ago, the Night World corpses had been removed, the surviving Night Worlders were taken into custody, and James had made a call to Lupe. The soulmates were all receiving and giving comfort to each other but Thierry was just staring at the wall vacantly.

Unexpectedly, Thierry's head snapped up. "I know where they're taking Hannah." Ash glanced over at Hannah's soulmate. Aside from Thierry, he, Quinn, and Rashel were taking it the hardest. They blamed themselves. Ash and Thierry shared a look and Ash nodded once, apparently understanding.

"That's great. Let's book," Lupe said, arriving out of the blue through one of the holes in the wall with her own soulmate, a werewolf by the name of Adolph Heinz, lead Daybreaker tact-force agent.


	19. Chapter 19

**Death To Chivalry**

19

Hannah moaned groggily. Every muscle in her entire body ached. Her face throbbed almost unbearably. She put one hand to her nose and it came away bloody. Her eyes snapped open. The Night World. The Fight.

Thierry.

As with everything in her life, it always came back to Thierry. She groaned in remembrance of what she had said to him. How could she have hurt him so badly? He was the most wonderful thing in her entire world. She smacked her hands on the cold, firm stone so hard they stung. The light from a half moon shone through a small skylight in the ceiling, illuminating her cramped dungeon cell.

Hannah looked around in hopes of devising a plan of escape. She ruled out the possibility of the skylight immediately. It was more than ten feet above her. She surmised by the height of the skylight and the coldness of the cell that she was underground. She listened for noise but silence was her only answer. Hannah walked over to the bars and pulled on them, but they were welded tightly in place.

The Old Soul kicked at the bars in frustration. Wearing herself out, she threw herself into the wall and pulled her knees up to her chest.

The Night World is going to win, she thought absently. Humans are going to be used as chattel. Daybreakers are going to be executed in the streets. All of it because Hannah Snow was too stubborn to listen to her soulmate who was only trying to protect her.

Hannah's only regret for herself was that she could never apologize to Thierry for what she had said.

She didn't deserve to be his soulmate.

Meanwhile, Thierry was thinking the exact opposite.

Hannah was in mortal danger because of him. If she had never met him she could have lived a full and happy life, in all her lives. He made a vow to himself that as soon as Hannah was safe he'd let her go, no matter the cost to him.

Thierry slid the guns, one loaded with silver bullets and the other with wooden, in the holsters on the belt around his trim waist.

He turned to his group. All were dressed for action.

The guys were all wearing tight-fitting black, cotton pants, comfortable, black hiking boots, black cotton shirts, and long, black dusters. The whole outfit gave unknowing tribute to the show Angel on the WB. The girls all wore Rashel's look, ninja-type clothing with a bandanna tied around their heads. In the center of the bandanna was a silver logo of their personal Daybreaker flower.

They must have seemed very strange to the casual observer. But it was Vegas. Strange was excepted, maybe even expected.

The Daybreakers were waiting for Lupe and Adolph to get back from securing two black Range Rovers from the airport Rent-a-car.

"So, where exactly are we going?" Quinn wanted to know.

"The only place the Night Worlders could have taken Hannah," Thierry answered obscurely.

"Could you please drop that cryptic bullshit and just flat-out tell us? We would all appreciate it," Quinn said, a little annoyed.

"The Night World Council building," Thierry answered after giving Quinn a displeased look.

"How do you figure that?" Rashel questioned skeptically.

"Three reasons. One: The Night World keeps all it's incantations and records there. It's the only place they could have come across that particular forbidden spell. Two: Poppy's vision was inside and the ground around it was sacred. The ground around the Council Building is where the most influential Night World leaders were buried, Hunter Redfern included. Three: The Night Worlders are arrogant so they would want to do this in front of the council members, what better place than the Council Building?" Thierry concluded.

Once again, the Daybreakers were impressed with Thierry's diligence.

"Okay, we got the rides. Let's roll." Adolph announced, tossing Thierry a set of keys.


	20. Chapter 20

**Death To Chivalry**

20

Hannah sat in the dim light, thinking over her choices. After a few minuets she concluded that she was going to die anyway, so why take the whole world with her? She quickly prayed for forgiveness and then searched the room for anything that would be useful.

She was going to kill herself.

Hannah had never once even contemplated suicide but desperate times called for desperate measures. The only problem was, the whole cell was empty. She had no weapon of any kind. She could even hang herself by her pants because the ceiling was too high. Hannah put her hands around her neck and applied presser but soon found she couldn't hold on long enough to even blackout, much less kill herself.

Breathing heavily, she leaned back against the wall. She bounced her head against the it, racking her brain for new ideas. Footsteps alerted her of three approaching visitors. Hannah jumped off the ground and met them at the bars.

"Let me out you stupid bastards," she commanded, though she knew they weren't going to.

"Hm. She's feisty, isn't she? I thought Old Souls were always so calm and wise," an older-looking vampire remarked.

"Bite me, asshole." It was a childish comeback. Hannah knew that even before she said it, she just couldn't help it. Afterward, she realized it wasn't the smartest thing to say to a vampire.

With lightning speed, the vampire snaked his hand through the bars and encircled her throat in a death grip. "Believe me, I would /love/ to." He used his other hand to caress her cheek without the birthmark. He jerked her face closer to the bars and snarled, "But I'm not going too, so don't tempt me, Vermin." He thrust her back into the cell and she wheeled backwards, hitting the wall opposite with a loud thunk.

Topen mumbled an incantation under his breath and swung the door open. The third person, a female vampire, stepped towards her threateningly.

"Oh, we haven't been introduced yet," The male vampire said. "My name is Spruce Redfern, I took over for Hunter when he was murdered by that traitor, Delos Redfern."

"Spruce? You're name is Spruce? What's your friend's name? Evergreen?" Hannah sneered. Being sarcastic helped her from being afraid.

"My name is Cat Redfern," The girl scowled.

Hannah stood-up straight, wiped the dried blood off her broken nose and glared at the vampire challengingly. "Bring it."

Cat came at her in a frontal assault. Hannah easily blocked her blows.

"My mother's name is Evergreen," The vampire hissed, her silver eyes flashing.

"In't that special." She commented in a fairly accurate impression of The Church Lady from Saturday Night Live. Hannah crushed Cat's foot underneath her own and flipped the girl over her shoulder. Cat landed gracefully on her feet and whipped around to face her advisory.

"You shouldn't have done that," she seethed.

"I taught I taw I a putty-tat. I did, I did see a putty-tat," Hannah taunted.

"You bitch!" Cat cried, throwing a hefty amount of Power at her.

Hannah's blood roared in her ears and she dropped to her knees clutching her head in an effort not to black out. After a few minuets of a continuous stream of Power weakening her, Hannah finally hit the ground, unconscious.


	21. Chapter 21

**Death To Chivalry**

21

Thierry cut the engine a good distance from the large structure. He hopped out of the jeep and sized-up the situation. There were all kinds of guards stationed around the perimeter.

Thierry quickly analyzed a weakness and formed a plan.

_Ash, where do they keep prisoners?_ Thierry asked. Ash had spent time in the Council Building due to the fact he was a Redfern.

_In the dungeons. They're a little less than twenty-feet underground. They probably put Hannah in the main dungeon because it's the most heavily guarded, by magic that is. There's a skylight in that cell and you can see it from the roof but hardly anywhere else._

_Right. Okay here's the game plan. I need two teams. One to attack the front openly and the other to come with me to get Hannah. I want Lupe to lead the first group and I'll lead the second. Ash, Mare, Quinn, Rashel, Thea, Eric, Blaise, and Jason with me._ Thierry didn't like to separate soulmates in this kind of situation. _Lupe you take the team you brought, along with Adolph, James, Poppy, David, and Gillian. _Lupe had about twenty Daybreaker fighters meet them there and they needed some familiar faces in the fight.

Thierry glanced up at the tall building. If they could see the dungeons from the roof then they needed some air coverage.

_Lupe, who do you have with wings_? Thierry queried.

"Chayton, Chayton, come here." A tall, spindly shape-shifter with a long, hooked nose pushed through the crowd. Chayton. Falcon.

_All right, Chayton, you're with me. I need you to get to the roof and lead us to the skylight. Lupe's team, attack full-out but don't do anything stupid to get you or anyone else killed, got it? Just keep in mind this is more than a search and rescue. If this spell is carried-out 'The Seeker of The Ones' will come out and maybe get to the fourth Wild Power before we can save him or her, got it?_

The assembled Daybreakers, mostly former Night Worlders, though some humans who looked like they knew what they were doing were among the crowd, nodded their heads in understanding.

_Good. My team, let's go._ Lupe will tell you when it's time to battle. Then to just his guys, _Lupe, Adolph, James, Poppy, Gillian, and David. As soon as the Night World believes it's just a frontal attack find us. We may need you._ Thierry would require everyone he had to get Hannah out of there. He motioned to his team to follow him silently.

Thierry ducked behind the trees, the frontal attack had begun and the Daybreakers had the upper hand.

_Chayton, now. _Chayton fluttered out of the bushes and flapped quickly and quietly towards the roof. He landed briefly then flew out a bit and circled around like a vulture. _Right, let's move out. _His group swiftly moved to the ground beneath Chayton. He quickly dropped down with them into the tall, dry desert grass.

Thierry peered down into the dank cell. He made out the top of a bowed, blonde head. Hannah's hands were tied behind her back and she was slumped against the wall, apparently unconscious.

_~ Hannah, wake up. ~_ he sent and noticed something very strange. They've done something to her. I can't talk to her, Thierry told his group, _Thea, there's a spell on the skylight, can you open it?_

Thea moved in and read the binding. She shook her head and whispered, "It's a simple spell, but I can't quite remember – Blaise?"

Blaise knelt beside her cousin and quickly murmured an incantation. The skylight popped right open. "Too easy." She smiled loftily, admiring her work.

_Yeah, too easy,_ Quinn commented dryly.

Thierry didn't care, he dropped the twenty feet, landing easily. He heard the others drop in beside him. Eric hit the floor and rolled, getting up to raise his arms out to Thea. Ash made an exaggerated "oaf" when he caught Mare. The others quickly followed. Thierry edged closer to Hannah. He had bad feeling-

_It's not Hannah! Get out of here, it's not Hannah!_ he ordered. Blaise made a mad dash for the door, managing to say the spell before she hit the ground on account of an enormous amount of Power.


	22. Chapter 22

**Death To Chivalry**

22

Once again, Hannah woke up addled. She shifted in her seat and realized she was now in a chair. She opened her eyes to see thirteen important-looking guys and seven people in robes staring at her.

"Continue," a voice she recognized as Spruce's ordered. The monks took up a chant.

"Lautumiae oriundus quam patria iussu tyrannus diu absentis;

Lautumiae oriundus quam caminus elaetiam contineo quam miko;

Lautumiae oriundus quam putesco mundus quoduo oculus utpote;

Lautumiae oriundus quam crepusculum insum aeter tenus quam acerbus

aeter."

Hannah realized that they had already completed half the spell and Thierry was nowhere to be found. She lifted her arms and legs and struggled with the straps holding her down desperately.

Hannah's eyes widened with fear as one of the monks, wearing a black robe instead of brown like the others, opened a slick, wooden case reviling a long, twisted dagger. He moved towards her, still chanting. Hannah swallowed heavily and vowed not to make a sound as the first incision was made on her forearm.


	23. Chapter 23

**Death To Chivalry**

23

"Blaise!" Jason cried, kneeling by his injured soulmate.

Thierry swiveled to face Hannah's double. The girl wearing his soulmate's face looked almost similar except for two things. Her eyes and there was no birthmark.

"I told you it was too easy," Quinn mumbled under his breath.

"Morphing spell. _Forbidden_ morphing spell," Thea commented, ready for action.

"Nothing's forbidden when you're a Redfern," the girl laughed. "Except for that traitor and his sisters. I never would have guessed that Ash Redfern would have turned," she sneered. "And Quinn. Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk. You do realize that if you hadn't crossed-over you would be in charge now, instead of my brother."

"Cat? Is that you?" Ash asked, surprised, letting down his guard. "They actually let that idiot Spruce lead the Night World? Now I _know_ we're going to win."

"Not likely since they've already begun the spell." She glanced over at Thierry. "Your soulmate is probably already dead," Cat said, casually.

Thierry moved forward and grabbed Hannah's double by the throat. "Where are they?"

"You can't hurt me, not while I look like this," Cat gibed.

Thierry applied more pressure and lifted the girl off her feet. "Do you really want to chance that?" he growled coldly.

"Th-they're in the Ritual Room. Top of the stairs, three doors to the left!" Cat cried. Thierry let her go and she sunk down, blonde hair changing to brown. Thierry turned to go out the door. "You weren't really going to kill me, were you?" Cat called after him.

"No." He bit off and then slammed the door behind him, causing the spell to activate again.

Cat's cry of fury bounced off the walls in an echo.


	24. Chapter 24

**Death To Chivalry**

24

Oh Lord, the pain. It was all she could focus on. Hannah was biting her lip so hard it was bleeding. There were half-moon shaped cuts on her palms from her nails. It kept her from screaming though. She wasn't going to give the Council the satisfaction.

The pseudo-monk finally moved away, having cut deep holes on the inside of her upper arms, forearms, thighs, and lower legs. He added a deep gash on her forehead.

Hannah's hands were shaking violently and she tried to hide it by gripping the handles of her chair tightly. Blood gushed out of her wounds, thoroughly soaking her clothes. She closed her eyes tightly to stop the blood flowing into her eyes. She was getting dizzy from lack of blood.

Hannah's head drooped, suddenly too heavily for her neck and a weird, giddy feeling enveloped her, causing her to let loose a giggle. She was going to die because all her blood was on the outside of her body not inside like it should be. It was kind of funny. It would be cool if she had a big vacuum cleaner that, like, sucked it all-

Abruptly, pain rippled through her body. She was in agony. Hannah now new what the guy who died in the beginning of the first Scream movie must have felt. She too was being gutted and turned inside-out.

Her soul was being torn from her body.

It was sucked through her entire being. Hannah had never felt anything like this before and prayed nobody in the world ever had to suffer this torment. In a voice laced with pure, unadulterated Pain, she screamed, _"THIERRY!"_ She actually felt her soul cry out to him

as it seeped through her pores.

Hannah wept for it.

Thierry staggered through the halls as wave after wave of unimaginable anguish hit him. "Oh God. Hannah." Thierry moaned. "They're ripping out her soul." His gut wrenched, making him want to hurl. Thierry and company burst through the side doors. Thierry focused and threw all the Power he could muster at the seven monks, stopping the chant. A blast of Witchlight from Thea effectively froze the portal.

A shimmering golden light flew from the portal and back into Hannah. His soulmate sucked in a long, shaky breath.

Thierry ran to her and knelt by her side, forgetting all about the thirteen pissed-off Night Worlders behind him.

Luckily, Lupe, Adolph, James, Poppy, Gillian, and David came through the large, front facing double-doors, emitting large streams of Power and Witchlight, knocking-out the unsuspecting Council members.

"Hannah, Hannah. Wake up," Thierry whispered in anguish. He used his duster to wipe all the blood off her face. The group all came over and Poppy tore his duster into pieces to make bandages. She applied pressure to Hannah's wounds and Thea head a bandage to Hannah's forehead. Ash knelt to unhook her hands and feet.

Hannah's eyes opened slowly. They were glazed over and un-focusing. "Thierry?" she asked weakly.

"I'm right here Hannah." He took her hands, smearing blood all over his own. He swallowed thickly. "You're going to be just fine. Poppy and Thea are going to fix you right up."

Hannah managed a trembling smile, "You suck at lying," she accused hoarsely. She coughed a few times in rapid succession.

"Oh, Hannah." Thierry buried his head in her lap, his shoulders racking with sobs. "I'm sorry. God, I am so sorry."

"It's not your fault Thierry." Hannah told him. He shook his head and let out a few more rounds of apologies. "Look at me Thierry." He lifted his head and looked her square in the eye. "I don't blame you for this. For any of it. And, I-I'm sorry for what I said. I swear to God I didn't mean it. I swear." She lifted one hand to his face. "I love you Thierry. I-" She drifted off, eyes cloudy. Breathing shallow.

"No, no. Hannah wake up! Wake up Hannah!" He shook her fiercely. Hannah's eyes were drab, her face ashen. She was still the most beautiful thing in the world.

"Theorn." Thierry's head snapped up, he recognized that voice. Memories engulfed him. Hellewise Hearth-Woman stepped out of the half-opened portal wearing a sleeveless white leather shift. She was just as he remembered her. "Theorn, you have to listen to me. Hana's soul was damaged. This time for good. The thing that made her come back all those times is gone. She won't come back, you have to understand. If she'd dies in this life she won't come back. Ever. "

Thierry's mind froze. Hannah…never come back? The thought had never once considered to him in all his long years. It was the one constant thing in his universe. Hannah would always be back. But, now, not? Thierry looked wildly at Hellewise.

Hellewise suspected she knew more than she should.

She had just been sitting in her room, concocting a spell to make Theorn sleep when a large portal opened up into her room. She peered through and saw a slightly different Theorn. He was crouched beside a beautiful, dying young girl when suddenly she was hit with waves of knowledge. Hellewise went with it and ended up, somehow, in the future.

"You have to save her. The balance rests on it. There has to be the original six soulmate couples along with the Wild Powers. I'm telling you, the balance rests on it. I cannot save her, but you can." The original six? She had no idea what she was saying, only that it was right.

"What-how?" Thierry asked, obviously amazed to see her.

"Change her Theorn, make Hana a vampire. The sake of the balance depends on it." Hellewise came forward to kneel by his side. "It is the only way. She will forgive you. Hana loves you Theorn. As do I. I will help her through the change, it is all I can do."

Hellewise placed a hand on Theorn's shoulder. He nodded in agreement and stood shakily. He picked-up the barely alive Hana of Three Rivers and held her closely to him.

"I'm sorry Hannah," he whispered to the girl. He brought his wrist up to his mouth and tore. Theorn placed it up to her mouth and let it flow down her throat.


	25. Chapter 25

**Death To Chivalry**

25

Hellewise concentrated. She met the girl on the Other Side. A shining golden light met her. It was Hana's spirit.

_Hana._

_What? What's going on?_

_Hana, my name is Hellewise. I knew Theorn before he was turned –_

_Thierry? Is he sad? I don't want him to be sad._

_Thierry is very sad, I'm afraid. Hana, you're soul is damaged. If you die now you won't ever come back._

_I won't come back? But Thierry – _

_Listen Hana. If you die, not only will you hurt Thierry you'll upset the balance, making it even less likely for Daybreakers to win. And Daybreakers have to win. It's written in the stars. If they don't – Let's just say no one will reach their proper destiny and everything will be changed for the worse._

_Then I can't die._

_No, you can't. Hana, I told Thierry to change you into a vampire. It was the only way. You can't be mad at him. I know a spell I can cast to make the change more natural. No bloodlust, provided Thierry makes sure you're supplied with it while your turning./ Hellewise had made up the spell while trying to come up with one for Theorn. She know knew why. /You have to want the change to occur or you will die, understand?_

_Yes, I understand._

_Good girl Hana. You're going to go to sleep now. When you wake-up you'll be a vampire and Thierry will be waiting for you._

_Thank you Hellewise. I'll never forget this._

_Neither will I, Hana of Three Rivers. I wish you and Theorn only the best. You are truly his soulmate. Now, sleep._

Hellewise gently pulled away from the Other Side, taking Hana's soul with her. Hellewise came back into herself slowly, reciting the incantation.

"She is aware of the change, Theorn. I cast a spell and you need to keep her feed while she's changing. If you do that, she'll be comfortable during the change." Thierry looked down at his soulmate. All her wounds were healed and the dank parlor of her skin was gone.

Hana's birthmark, however, remained. As it always would.

Hellewise looked away from Theorn who was still letting Hana drink. Around her was a motley crew of Daybreakers. A shapeshifter was standing alone. Four vamps, one who looked like a witch and was cuddling to another vampire, the other had the shifting eyes of her sister. He was undoubtedly one of Maya's descendants. He held a pretty human girl. As did the other, a made vampire. Two werewolves, one shaking uncontrollably. There were three witches, all with human soulmates, standing to the side. One was small and comely and had blazing violate eyes. The other two looked remarkably like herself and Maya. The only thing the group had in common was the sadness and fear centered for Hana.

"I-I think I gave her enough," Theorn said hesitantly.

"That is good. She'll be fine. She already understands. I must go now." Hellewise kindly placed a hand on Hana's cheek and smiled down at her. Yes, she was the perfect girl for Theorn. Hana loved him even more than Hellewise herself did.

"Wait, Hellewise," The girl that resembled herself called.

Hellewise turned. "Yes?"

"It's just that, I wanted to warn you that Maya is going to come after you and I wanted you to be prepared."

"What is your name?" Hellewise asked the girl.

"Thea, Thea Harman," she replied.

"Well Thea Hearth-Woman, I think you gave me this warning before, in your past and my future. Does that make any sense? I think this was all meant to be."

"It makes perfect sense," Thea answered.

"That is good. I will see you when I get back, Theorn."

With that, Hellewise disappeared through the portal, closing it forever behind her.

_**Author's Note**_

_Yikes, that was bad. Nothing redeemable about it, except to say that, hey, at least thirteen year-old me was trying! Also, misogyny and sexism is an ever-shifting paradigm that kids definitely learn and internalize. I can completely imagine what thirteen year-olds who love Twilight are thinking right now, but at least there's plenty of hope that they'll grow out of it!_


End file.
